The New York Knicks have chosen a refreshingly disciplined path while other teams handed out massive checks this offseason.
It’s easy to get swept up in flashy signings, but New York stayed sharp, locking in quality depth without blowing up the books.
Comparing what other teams spent to New York’s savvy deals
Look around the league, and it feels like front offices are tossing money around like confetti.
The Sacramento Kings are paying Dennis Schroder $45 million over three seasons, which averages out to $15 million annually.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons dropped $48 million on Duncan Robinson, and the Cleveland Cavaliers decided Sam Merrill was worth $38 million.
Next season,
The Knicks are paying Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele a COMBINED total of:
$9.3 millionThe Cavs are paying Sam Merrill:
$9.5 million ($38 million over four years)The Kings are paying Dennis Schroder:
$15 million ($45 million over three years)The… pic.twitter.com/D5qZpYeVtB
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) July 2, 2025
By comparison, the Knicks spent just $9.3 million total for next year to bring in Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele.
It almost sounds like robbery when you see the production they’re adding versus what those hefty contracts elsewhere are buying.
Jordan Clarkson could be the microwave scorer this team needed
Clarkson is a proven bucket-getter who averaged 16.2 points last season, along with 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
His shooting splits of .408 from the field and .362 from three make him a perfect spark off the bench.
The Knicks brought him in on a veteran minimum deal after Utah cut ties, which is astonishing value for someone who outscored Schroder last season.
It’s like stumbling upon a designer suit on the clearance rack—sometimes timing is everything.
Guerschon Yabusele brings more than just cheap insurance
Then there’s Yabusele, who the Knicks landed on a two-year, $12 million deal that looks better the more you break it down.
He averaged 11 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists last season while shooting .501 from the field and .380 from three.
Yabusele is a better overall player than Robinson in nearly every category outside of three-point and free throw percentages.
He’ll slot in as the stretch big this team lacked, backing up Karl-Anthony Towns and keeping the offensive blueprint intact.
This sets up a smoother season with deeper support
Last year, the Knicks relied heavily on their starting five, which took a toll down the stretch.
Now, they’ll enter the new season with chemistry already built among their core group and two key rotation pieces who can take the scoring load.
Clarkson and Yabusele aren’t just stopgaps—they’re genuine contributors who will help this team keep humming when the stars rest.
- Knicks to formally hire Mike Brown as team’s next head coach
- Knicks may need to make a trade to avoid the dreaded second apron
- The Knicks splashed $9.3 million for two impact depth pieces
A clever approach that keeps flexibility intact
The best part of all this might be what the Knicks didn’t do.
They didn’t sacrifice future flexibility or pour money into risky deals just to keep pace in headlines.
Instead, they brought in proven veterans who fit their needs without financial strain, which could be a major factor come trade deadline season.
!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(“has-featured-video”,”true”)})}();